If you’re a high achiever in midlife, chances are you’ve done what you were supposed to do.  You set goals. You built a career. You became someone others rely on, at work, at home, in your community. From the outside, your life probably looks good. Maybe even enviable. And yet – something feels off.

You’re tired in a way that sleep doesn’t fix.
Your days are frantic, and you’re pulled in too many directions.
You are “successful” – but not settled.

So when someone suggests you “set a vision” or “get clear on your purpose,” it doesn’t feel inspiring. It feels like one more thing to do, or maybe even sounds a little ‘woo’….

It doesn’t help that advice is often vague and disconnected from the reality of your day to day life.  

The truth is – for many of us, we had a vision in our twenties – and we’ve more or less achieved it.  

So, what do we do now?

Once basic needs like financial and physical security are covered and you have tightened up your social circle to a few close relationships, you can be left with a sense of restlessness. You’ve “become” the things you thought we wanted and aren’t sure what to do next – like a dog that catches the car they’ve been chasing.  Now what?!

Vision Without Burnout:  A Grounded Starting Point

In this article, I lean into decades of experience in business strategy and lessons from neuroscience and psychology to provide a simple and practical way to set a personal vision that will re-energize you and make decision fatigue and overwhelm a thing of the past. 

Values as the Foundation of Vision

Crafting a values-anchored, capacity-aware personal vision takes you above the daily grind and helps you put past, present, and future into perspective and reconnects you with an internal reference point that makes it crystal clear what’s most important to you.

For many of us, by the time we hit midlife – if we consider the question “who are you?”, we will answer with the roles we’ve evolved into; “I’m a mother, a leader, a friend, a daughter, etc”.

While true, these answers are all outside of ourselves and have attached baggage in terms of societal and relational expectations.

One component isn’t more important than the other, but because we are more used to thinking about goals and WHAT we want to obtain, it is useful to spend time first defining personal values, which go deeper and force us to look inward. 

This is important because it shifts you from focusing on WHAT you want to achieve or obtain to HOW you want to embody each role.  If one of your values is compassion and someone else’s is accountability; you are likely to have a different leadership style at work, for example.  Neither style is better than the other, but trying to force compassion or get all amped up about accountability if it isn’t actually important to you will put stress on your system – and come across as inauthentic.

The Science Behind a Values-Based Vision

Research in cognitive science shows that:

• Conflicting priorities increase mental and decision fatigue, which science refers to as increasing your cognitive load,
• Chronic misalignment between values and actions, described by social psychology as cognitive dissonance, drains psychological resources and depletes energy, and
• High achievers are especially vulnerable because they’re rewarded for output, not for identifying and honoring their own needs and preferences.  

Without  anchoring your vision in how you uniquely want to show up and what you want to be known for, it’s easy to get lost in other people’s expectations, external pressures, or your own lack of internal clarity.  

When you don’t have a strong internal reference point (ie. values), this translates into carrying a heavier cognitive load or living for extended periods with cognitive dissonance. 

This is why so many capable, conscientious people burn out in midlife.  They have been overloaded for years and have learned to perform for others but have lost connection with their unique strengths, preferences – and often, their needs. This is supported by research into self-determination theory, which shows that high performers with externally driven visions show higher rates of emotional exhaustion despite success.

Starting with defining personal values keeps  you anchored to an internal  reference point as you define vision.  From a neuroscience perspective, having this internal reference point available signals certainty, alignment, and psychological safety – all of which are jeopardized when you’re getting yanked all over the place by “shoulds”.

Taken together, personal values and vision reduce overthinking and overwhelm and give an invaluable filter for setting priorities, managing time, and making decisions.  

If you want to learn more about setting personal values, I go into it in detail in the following post:

Burnt Out on Goal-Setting? How Personal Values Can Restore Clarity

What we can Learn From Business Strategy

Person Using a Laptop on a Table

If vision boards and personal purpose sound a little ‘woo’ – stay with me.  

If the science behind why this works to overcome overwhelm, boost energy, and build capacity, there is another discipline that has proven the benefits.

There are different takes on this and mine is closely aligned with how vision is used in business strategy development. This isn’t about coming up with a fantasy version of your life five or ten years from now or motivating you to push yourself harder.

A personal vision is a directional statement that integrates:

• Your values,
• Your unique gifts and strengths, and
• The impact you want to have in a defined period of time.

In business strategy, vision statements are used to communicate a shared direction – but what’s less recognized is the emotional pull towards this common understanding of ‘what the future could look like’ that they generate.  

Taken with values and goals, companies use vision statements to motivate and inspire people using a clear picture of what will be different in the future if they commit to the plan’s underlying values and goals.  

They can have the same impact in a personal context.  If goals are developed from a meaningful expression of values and vision, the motivation and engagement to tackle those goals are built right in.

Why The Phase Of Life You’re In Matters….A Lot!

In our twenties and thirties, it is normal to be goal-focused; finish a degree, get that first job, travel the world, get married, buy a house, have kids – whatever those early adult experiences were for you, by midlife, you have likely achieved a lot of your goals.

Starting with goal setting to clarify what’s important doesn’t work in midlife for the same reason that it doesn’t work for my strategy clients.  Goals without deeper meaning are shallow, hollow, and tough to get energized about.  As companies grow, it isn’t possible to keep everyone on the same page and senior leaders need a way to rally their teams around a common goal and the mindset, actions, and behaviours that support the goal. At midlife, you stop being motivated by DOING – and start to think more about BEING.  With a solid foundation built, you can turn your attention to WHO you want to be and what impact you want to have in your lifetime.

When you look at it this way, it makes sense. Once you hit midlife, you’ve been through things.  You’ve lost people you care about, let go of relationships that didn’t serve you, and gained valuable life and career experience.  

Time on this earth starts to feel more limited, and you wonder if you’re using it wisely.

Developing personal values and vision provides a structured way to examine these deeper questions, the answers to which become our internal reference point for our second act, as we move through midlife and beyond.

Aren’t Purpose and Vision the Same Thing?

If words like purpose and vision feel heavy or abstract, you’re not alone. If you’re wondering if they are the same, we’ll address that next. The concepts are related, but there is an important difference.

Purpose: The “Why”
Purpose isn’t role-dependent, and it doesn’t change often. It is anchored to values, but is more enduring than vision, which is defined against a particular time frame. 

Your purpose is “your reason for being” or the overarching themes that define and bring meaning to your life. 

My experience and observation is that when most people start doing this work, they need to redefine who they are and what they stand for and an enduring purpose statement can feel like a stretch.  For me, I wasn’t able to get my head around it with any level of clarity until I spent over a year refining my values and vision.

That said, leaning into personal values is like opening the door to your purpose.  We start with values because it is more concrete and lends itself better to a step by step process, and most importantly – as you ‘test’ them out on real world decisions, your purpose is slowly revealed to you through the decisions you make and any adjustments to the values that resonate. 

If you are drawn to exploring your enduring personal purpose, the following reflection questions can help:

• Why do I do what I do?
• What am I doing when I’ve been able to ‘find flow’?
• What do people come to me for or bring to me, even if it’s not within my current role?
• What parts of me feel ‘non-negotiable’, no matter the circumstances?
• What energizes me, even when it’s hard?

The output of these reflections can inform a working purpose statement , such as:

“I am at my best, and most myself, when I am _________, in service of _______, in a way that honors _______.”

A purpose statement is an enduring way of stating your core identity and unique gifts and strengths while values statements provide a practical tool for decision making. 

To illustrate the difference, the following are examples of personal value statements from Brene Brown’s book,  Dare to Lead:

• Courage:  The ability to confront fear, uncertainty, and challenges.
• Trust:  Building and maintaining confidence in relationships.
• Joy:  Finding and appreciating happiness in life.

Vision: Where You’re Heading
A vision statement is a short, concise way of capturing what the future could look like in a defined period of time.

 It  is:

• Directional,
• Emotionally resonant, and
• Grounded in desired identity and a clear sense of self.

It isn’t:

• A list of goals,
• A future escape plan or fantasy, or
• Another way to put unreasonable pressure on yourself.

 We have defined vision above, but a potential working vision statement could be:

In this season, I am creating a life that prioritizes ______ and ________, allowing me to contribute __________ in ways that are sustainable and aligned with who I am now.

I personally like challenging my personal vision with a reality check to make sure it is aligned with my actual capacity:

This vision is designed to work within my current capacity, which means I am not trying _________, and I am intentionally choosing ______ instead.

If you need a quick way to check your capacity in this season of life, you can download a free micro course that teaches you how in less than an hour.

Living a Values-Based Vision In Real Life

Research on motivation shows that micro-practices that link daily actions to a deeper “why” are what lead you to living in alignment with your values-based vision.

Small practices that work include:

• Begin the day by setting one  values-based intention
  • Today, I will prioritize connection by calling a friend I haven’t caught up with in a while
• Throughout the day, you can name why something matters before starting it – especially when it is something difficult
  • Taking the time to go for a walk at lunch is important because it provides evidence of me living my value of well-being, and is a key part of my vision for better health and balance
• End the day by reflecting:
  • Where did I act in alignment?
  • Where did I override myself?
  • What do I want to start, stop, and continue doing tomorrow?

This is all about intentional, conscious decision making and aligned action.  

An idea I heard recently that I loved was building a BECOMING board, as opposed to a VISION board (I can’t give credit as I don’t remember the source).  

The idea is that, rather than creating a visual picture of the end outcome – you seek out images that depict the process of getting there. For example, my 5 year (ish) vision is to build a vibrant community of mid life high achievers that support each other to do the deep work required to build lives they don’t want to escape from. 

 I can picture weekly group coaching calls, hundreds of members from all over the world showing up, being vulnerable in a safe space, engaging in workshops, and my delight in seeing the life changing impact of my work.  

But today?  I have to show up, produce quality content, write blog posts, see what lands with people, learn what is most helpful, and keep putting myself out there.  The next right steps include building skills, consistently producing content, testing, and learning.  

My becoming board would include pictures of me writing early in the mornings, of calls with Lyca, my Marketing and Administrative Coordinator, of studying coaching techniques, practicing new skills, and posting to social media accounts, something I have practically no experience in doing!

Here is an image of my becoming board – which I created in Canva and have turned into my desktop background.

Goal Setting:  The Last Thing You Should Do

With your values and vision on paper, you have laid the right foundation for setting meaningful goals.  Value-aligned goals are consistently associated with greater motivation and lower burnout risk.

Here is a simple approach to setting goals once you’ve defined your personal values and vision:

• Make a list of any goals you have been working towards
  • Are there any that you want to stop putting energy to, now that you are more aware of your values and vision?
• Are there things you want to start as a way to make active progress towards your vision?

Some goals may be achievable in a short time frame, and others will take time, maybe even years, to achieve. For long term goals, remember that vision is directional.  This means that setting an absolute date isn’t necessary. Focus on identifying the next right thing that you have the capacity to do and you will be amazed at how quickly these small steps add up to major progress in the right direction.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Man in Beige Coat Standing on Road

This isn’t about getting it “right”.

It’s about the process.  Being more aware and intentional starts with reflecting about who you are and what you want your impact to be in this lifetime.  

One person’s vision might center on advancement and recognition. As long as they are honest with themselves about their capacity, the right thing for them might be to go after what they want aggressively this year.  Someone else might clarify a vision focused on connection and sustainability. Progress is going to be slow and steady, and it might take them 3-5 years to see their vision really come to life.  As long as values and vision are internally anchored, there is no “wrong” way to do this.

This isn’t necessarily about doing more.
It’s about doing more of what you intentionally decide is important to you. 

THE GOOD NEWS

You don’t need a massive reinvention.

Small, consistent practices that keep you anchored to your vision and values put you back in the driver’s seat of your own life.

We all tend to overestimate what we can do in a short timeframe and underestimate what we can accomplish over the long term.

Knowing your vision helps keep your long term goals front of mind – and your values support you day to day to make decisions that align with the person you need to become to achieve that vision.

If you do nothing else in 2026 – spend some time reflecting on what matters to you.  We are here to do more than survive – and at midlife, we’ve finally got the experience and knowledge to make a meaningful impact.  Don’t lose one more day to drifting….get reconnected and anchored – in a year, you will be AMAZED at how different your life will be.   

If you’re ready to go deeper, you can:

• Download the Personal Vision & Values Workbook
• Subscribe to the Forward, in Focus newsletter
• Join an upcoming Vision & Values Workshop

With love,
Angelina